Down the Aisle
by Cleone
Summary: Sasuke’s eyes filled with tears as Hinata stepped up to the alter to her future husband, her future husband that wasn’t Sasuke. And at that moment, he made his own vow:‘I am going to kill Naruto for taking her away from me.’ SasuHina OOC. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Down the Aisle**

The crowd chatted around him happily. The smell of springtime along with great anticipation filled the air. To him, it was almost suffocating. Sure, the atmosphere was joyful and light, but he was the only one in the church who didn't want this to even be happening.

Today was the day that the woman Sasuke loved would be getting married. And unfortunately, she wasn't going to be meeting him at the alter.

Sasuke looked down at the floor between his knees. Damn, what had gone wrong between them? They dated for a year, kissed, even slept together…but what was this about her not loving him? He absolutely _adored _the woman, thought of her every night, and practically worshipped her on bended knee. But she didn't even _love _him back?

…

_"Sasuke,_" Hinata had said just a few months ago while putting her clothes back on at his house. _"I have something to tell you."_

_Sasuke leaned back against the pillows and smirked. "Oh yeah?"_

He had expected something like 'Oh, I love you so much' or 'I think you're absolutely amazing', but what she said was totally unexpected.

"_I can't see you anymore."_

_Sasuke stopped grinning and sat up. "What?"_

_Hinata finished dressing and sighed deeply, still not looking Sasuke in the face. "Sasuke…" She turned to him, a silent tear sliding down her pale face. _

_Sasuke was taken aback. "H-Hinata?"_

_Hinata sniffed and a small smile crossed her face. "Sasuke…I love someone else."_

_Sasuke stared, silent, and Hinata continued._

_"And he proposed to me…I said yes."_

…

Sasuke snapped his head back up as the crowd suddenly went silent and soft music began to play. Oh god, he didn't want to see this…

Sasuke slowly looked to his right. There she was…dressed in a beautiful flowing white gown with her hair put up in an elegant bun. She was gorgeous. His heart jumped as Hinata turned her head slightly and gave him a small, sad smile and continued walking down the aisle (god, why did it seem so long now?)

Sasuke took a deep breath and told himself to keep watching the procession. Hell, shouldn't he be happy that Hinata was going off with the guy she truly loved? Shouldn't he be happy that she was going to live a wonderful life, pop out a few kids, and raise a wonderful family?

No, he was anything but happy.

Sasuke's eyes filled with tears as Hinata stepped up to the alter to her future husband…her future husband that wasn't Sasuke. And at that moment, he made his own vow:

'I am going to kill Naruto for taking her away from me.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Down the Aisle**

Naruto and Hinata stumbled into the hotel room, their lips locked tightly and

their arms wrapped snuggly around one another's bodies. Oh, they were so happy. They were married and tonight they were going to give their bodies to one another. What could be more perfect?

Naruto broke away from the kiss and grinned at his wife. "Wanna screw now?"

Hinata smiled back. So Naruto wasn't the most romantic, but that was alright. She still loved him anyway.

"Oh yeah," Hinata replied.

Naruto lifted Hinata up and set her on the king sized bed, complete with a silky red comforter and tacky heart-shaped pillows. Hinata leaned back and put her hands behind her head, ready for Naruto to begin. Naruto raised his brows and crawled right on top of her, his hands pulling off the white wedding gown quickly and messily. Hinata moaned and in return began unbuttoning her husbands' shirt. Man, he had a nice body!

Naruto pulled the dress down to the floor and looked back at Hinata. His eyes widened and he gave a low whistle; she was wearing a lacy, black nightie that ended probably a foot or so above her knees. Geeze, how could he have liked Sakura instead of Hinata when they were kids? This woman was hot!

Hinata's face flushed and she laughed quietly. "Yeah, even I'm surprised I'm wearing this!"

Naruto smiled. "I think you should wear it more often."

His hands shakily began to remove the nightie while Hinata pulled down his black slacks and got to work on his green twig-print boxers (wait, what _were _those things on his boxers anyway?). And so after only a few moments, the couple was completely rid of their clothing.

Naruto's face turned bright red and he gulped. "Errr…are you ready?"

Hinata giggled and stroked his cheek. "Uh-huh."

"I-I don't want to hurt you or anything…"

Hinata shook her head. "It's okay, I'm used to-"

She stopped right in the middle of her sentence. She was about to say "I'm used to having a guy's thing up me", but thought that she shouldn't tell her husband that. Naruto was still a virgin and she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

That was when Hinata stopped thinking about the man in front of her and started thinking about the sad looking guy she smiled at during the walk down the aisle: Sasuke.

Man, oh man, Sasuke was an animal in bed. He did it just to Hinata's liking and pleasured her so much it was almost insane for a guy to have talent like that ("Hey, you were the first girl I've ever slept with," Sasuke had told her. "I can't be that good."). Not only that, but he was surprisingly passionate and loving towards her. When she got home from missions, he'd present her with a romantic dinner and two dozen roses, and rub down her tired and aching body with his soft, gentle hands that were covered in cheap massage oil.

Not only that, but Sasuke had taught her to be more assertive. "You're too much of a push-over," he told her on their first date. "Let people know how you _really _feel." And from that point on, Hinata expressed her opinions more freely than she had before (according to Sasuke, maybe a bit _too _freely).

Hinata, in return, showed Sasuke how to open his heart more. Apparently, he had thought that love was just endless sex, but she showed him how to show real love and affection towards a person and to let that "special someone" know even your deepest secrets. Of course, getting Sasuke to share everything about his life with Hinata was difficult and it took some time, but she finally gained his trust and he practically spilled his heart out to her.

So it seemed that this relationship was absolutely perfect…until someone else declared their undying love for Hinata.

Hinata slowly looked back at up at Naruto, who looked completely confused and, not to mention, desperate. _Him…_

Hinata's father was not at all pleased when he found out his daughter was sleeping with a guy who was not married to her. Even though Hinata tried to convince him that Sasuke was a good guy and that he even came from a well-respected clan, her father refused to believe that he was a decent person. In his opinion, anyone who took his daughter's chastity before marriage was insulting the Hyuuga clan altogether.

And that was when Naruto finally proposed. Hinata's father was ecstatic, and very much encouraged her (well, more like _forced _her), to accept his offer. And so Hinata ended her "scandalous" relationship with Sasuke and married Naruto, convincing herself to try and love Naruto the way she loved Sasuke. Period. The end. No turning back now.

Oh god…

Sasuke's sad, remorse face came back clearly to Hinata's mind. Was he…he couldn't have...

_Was Sasuke actually crying_?

'Sasuke…oh god, I'm so sorry!'

Tears filled Hinata's eyes and Naruto's expression immediately changed from anxious to concerned. He touched his wife's cheek lightly.

"H-Hinata?"

Hinata sniffed and lightly pushed Naruto away. "Naruto…I can't do this."

She wrapped a bed sheet around her pale body and rose up off the bed. She glanced back at Naruto and ran straight into the bathroom across from the bedroom, sobbing. She plopped down on the tiled floor and hid her face in her hands.

'Sasuke…please…save me.'

* * *

All the way on the other side of the village, another lonely soul was still awake. Sasuke felt his eyes sting as he looked outside his bedroom window at the bright, pale moon hanging in the deep blue sky. Probably at this exact time, Hinata was having the time of her life making love with the guy Sasuke hated the most.

Sasuke hands formed tightly into fists. Just thinking about another guy sticking his sick self up _his _woman made him want to vomit. Naruto didn't know a single thing about Hinata! He had no idea just how precious and gentle and fragile she was. He had no idea…how much that girl meant to Sasuke.

Sasuke wiped his eyes on his shoulder. "Damn…"

And at that exact time, two lonely souls whispered, each one not hearing the other:

"Please, bring my love back to me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Down the Aisle**

And so, Naruto and Hinata started off their marriage on the completely wrong foot. As they were moving Hinata's belongings into Naruto's apartment the morning after their "honeymoon", they hardly spoke to each other and were careful to avoid one another.

'I know I shouldn't have done this to Naruto' Hinata thought as she dropped a cardboard box in Naruto's bedroom. 'But it wouldn't feel right…I might _legally _be Naruto's, but my heart and my body still belong to Sasuke.'

She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and sat down on the edge of the unmade bed, sighing. So this was what her life was going to be like from now on: devoid of romance and extremely awkward. Could she even bear to live like this, being married to a man she didn't have any feelings for and still longing for her husband's rival? She had often heard of double lives people have led, but even so…Naruto's feelings meant at least something to her, and she knew she would hate it if she were cheated on. Besides, her reputation was already tainted enough; she didn't know how many more hate phone calls and mail she could take from Sakura and Ino without chewing their heads off in anger.

Hinata heard footsteps heading towards the room and her head snapped up. Naruto was standing in the doorway, holding a stack of clean towels. He smiled faintly.

"Guess you, uh, found my bedroom."

Hinata nodded and returned the cheesy, fake smile. "Heh heh, y-yeah. It's, err…very nice."

Naruto slowly set the towels on the floor and plopped down on the bed next to Hinata. "Hinata, I was thinking a lot about, you know, last night."

Hinata's body became stiff. "Oh-oh yeah?"

Naruto glanced at her. "Um…was I too…forceful?"

"Uh-"

He interrupted. "Because, you know, the first time hurts for everyone and, well, I wasn't trying to rush things."

He blushed lightly and looked at the floor. Hinata remained silent, resting her hands in her lap. Oh man, she really didn't want to talk about last night. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh no, Naruto, it would've been fine because before we were married, I had an intimate relationship with the guy you hate the most'?

Naruto spoke up. "So…do you think we can try it again tonight?"

Hinata hesitated before lightly squeezing her husband's hand. "I-I guess we can."

Naruto grinned and wrapped his arms tightly around Hinata's waist. "Thanks…honey."

He hopped off the bed and ran out of the room. Hinata sighed and ran her fingers lightly over the stitching on the dark green blanket she was sitting on. Sooner or later, she would have to get over Sasuke.

And the sooner she did, the better it would be for all three of them.

* * *

Sasuke slammed down the phone for the fourth time that morning and rubbed his temples roughly, agitated beyond belief. Since 8:03 that morning, the phone had been ringing nonstop and the telephonic invasion of the stupid fan girls had begun. And every time they called, he answered each the same: "No, I will not be your boyfriend. Leave me the hell alone." 

Sasuke growled as the annoying _briiing, briiing _started up again. He took a deep breath before picking up the phone, his hands shaking with anger.

"What?" He frowned. "Sakura, I already told you. I'm not, I repeat, NOT thinking about going out with anyone right now. So leave…me…ALONE!"

Sasuke slammed the phone back on the receiver and buried his face in his hands. It was true that he wasn't thinking about another relationship and that, for the moment, he'd like to just be left alone. Unless, of course, it was Hinata who called and begged to be back together with him. Oh, he would take her back quicker than you could say 'pathetic'.

Sasuke's mind wandered off to his second date with Hinata. It wasn't anything fancy, just a trip to the ice cream shop, but it was one of his most treasured memories. Hinata had gotten strawberry ice cream on her nose and Sasuke had said that she was cute before lightly licking off the sticky substance. Of course, it had been a tad bit embarrassing for both of them, but they both laughed it off and left the shop, their hands clamped together tightly.

_"Sasuke," _Hinata had said before she walked up her porch steps. _"I really hope we can stay together for a long time. I like you a lot."_

"I wish we could've stayed together for a long time too, Hinata." Sasuke mumbled into his palms.

The phone began ringing again, but Sasuke didn't move. So the girls were really desperate for him to just get over Hinata and get another girl. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to get over her.

And the sooner he did, the better it would be for all of them.

* * *

The day passed in a flash and the evening rolled in. Hinata had dreaded the night coming ever since Naruto suggested 'trying it again'. Yet she knew she had to do this. It wasn't fair to Naruto, her husband for gods' sake, that she avoided him in bed. 

Hinata groaned as she pulled off her day clothes and slipped on a bathrobe that Naruto had given to her earlier that afternoon (she absolutely refused to get into the lingerie again). She closed her eyes, drew in a breath, and slowly pulled the bathroom door open. Naruto was already sitting on the bed, shirtless, and twiddling his fingers nervously. He looked up as Hinata walked in and smiled sheepishly.

"You look…good."

Hinata walked to the bed and sat down on the mattress. "Thank you."

They sat there silently, waiting for someone to make the first move. Naruto hesitated and nervously rested his hand on Hinata's bare thigh, stroking it awkwardly. Hinata felt herself turn pink and resisted the urge to pull her leg out of Naruto's reach. If Sasuke had ever seen anyone touching her like this, it would've been chaos unleashed.

And that's when her thoughts once again turned back to the man she loved.

Hinata immediately pulled Naruto's hand away. "Naruto, no. I can't."

Naruto's shoulders drooped and he looked as though he was about to cry. "Hinata, I know you're probably nervous but-"

Hinata stood up. "That's not it."

Naruto grimaced and he clenched his fists. "Then why are you avoiding this? This is what married couples are _supposed_ to do, dammit!"

Hinata shook her head. 'No, Naruto,' she thought. 'This is what people in love are supposed to do.'

She turned back to him. "Naruto, in due time, we will. I just…it's impossible for me to do this, with so many feelings and emotions going through me." She picked up a pillow and turned on her heel. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

"Hinata-"

"-I'm going to sleep on the couch. Good night, Naruto."


	4. Chapter 4

**Down the Aisle**

Hinata rolled over on the stiff, uncomfortable couch, her eyes aching from lack of sleep. She felt bad, she really did, for doing this to her husband, but she had a reason for it. Making "love" with a person who she felt almost no compassion towards was just something she couldn't do.

Hinata rested her hands on her flat stomach, another memory of a time she had with Sasuke entering her mind…

_"Hinata," Sasuke had said timidly while they were eating breakfast one day. "Have you ever thought about, you know…having kids?"_

_Hinata nearly spat out her coffee. "K-Kids, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke leaned back in his chair. "Because…well, I do want to revive my clan and stuff."_

_Hinata stared at the mug of coffee in her hands. "Yes, I know." She sighed and rested her mug on the table. "It's just such a huge decision on both our parts and if we do decide to have a family, we can't go back and undo it or anything."_

_Sasuke twiddled with his thumbs. "It-It really wouldn't be that hard. We could stop using birth control and…um…" He blushed and stared at the tiled floor of the kitchen. "We could do it during your time of the month."_

_Hinata stared at the steaming brown liquid in front of her and ran her finger along the rim of the mug. "But Sasuke…the child would be born out of wedlock." _

_"That can easily be fixed."_

_Hinata smiled. "So we're going to get married, huh?"_

_Sasuke nodded and smiled confidently. "No doubt about it."_

Hinata ran her hand gently over her stomach and smiled to herself. Sasuke had always been so sure of himself and she had felt that when he promised something, he was going to keep that promise no matter what. It seemed there was nothing he wouldn't do to keep their relationship healthy.

Hinata tugged on a loose thread. What was Naruto thinking at the moment? Was he mad? Was he thinking of calling the marriage quits? And if so, how would Hinata react?

'Come on,' she thought. 'You'd be happy.'

"Yeah," she whispered into the dark. "But I'd feel guilty too."

On her wedding day, Hinata actually had thought of saying 'no'. She wanted to tell everyone how she felt and be with the one who meant the most to her. Who cared if it was "scandalous"? It was love all the same, and that's the only thing that mattered. Heck, it was better than being in an honest, worthy relationship in which the husband and wife couldn't even sleep together.

She glanced at the digital clock on the coffee table in front of her. It was nearly five in the morning. She groaned and rolled over onto her front. Here they come: the spasms in her belly that caused vomiting for nearly an hour. She slowly got off the couch and with wobbly legs found her way to the bathroom, which wasn't all that easy considering that the apartment was dark and she didn't know the layout all that well.

Hinata leaned over the toilet, taking deep breaths and holding both hands over her gurgling stomach. This routine had been going on for two weeks. Hopefully, it was just a nasty bout of flu or some sickness like that.

The sour taste filled her mouth and she retched loudly, last night's dinner erupting from her body and into the water. She sincerely hoped that the vomiting would stop soon and that she could sleep in later than five o'clock in the morning.

"You alright?"

Hinata wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her bathrobe and whipped her head around. Naruto was standing in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed. He flipped on the light switch. Hinata could see dark circles under his eyes.

"You alright?" Naruto repeated.

Hinata nodded and turned back to the toilet. "Yes, thank you." She gripped the sides of the porcelain bowl. "You look tired, honey. You should go back to bed."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Naruto shrug. "Hey, I said I'd be with you in sickness and in health."

Hinata chuckled. "Ha, that's sweet."

Naruto bent down and opened the cabinet under the sink. He pulled out a small white hand towel and held it out to her.

"You got some puke on you're chin."

Hinata felt herself flush and snatched the towel out of his hand, quickly wiping off a chunky, wet substance under her lower lip. "Er, thank you."

Naruto plopped down on the dirty, red rug next to her. "No problem." He rested his hand between her shoulder blades. "I just want to make sure you're happy and healthy."

Hinata stared at her reflection in the clouded water underneath her. Oh jeeze, Naruto was sending her on a guilt trip. He was so nice and kind and caring, and yet she couldn't even fulfill one of his simple requests. He deserved a much better wife.

"Hey Naruto?"

"Hm?"

Hinata rested her hands in her lap. "Could you give me a backrub? It helps calm me down."

Naruto smiled. "Of course."

Hinata closed her eyes and her body relaxed as her husband gently ran his hand up and down her spine. That's right…she had to try to forget about the past and look towards the future.

"Naruto?"

Naruto continued to rub her back. "Yeah?"

"Have you accepted me into your heart?"

Naruto paused. "That's for you to decide," he answered curtly.

* * *

Sasuke lifted his head and stared at his alarm clock. "Heh, Hinata should be getting sick right about now."

He stretched his hand toward the bedside table and opened the small drawer. He knew it was terrible for his health, but the pills helped him get back to sleep. He fumbled around the drawer and pulled out a small square package. He held the package up to his face and frowned.

'Oh god, why do I even have these anymore?'

Sasuke threw the pack of condoms to the floor and continued his search. His hand touched a cool, glass surface and he snatched out the small bottle of sleeping pills. Without looking at the back of the bottle for the correct dosage, he snapped the lid off and popped three of the pills into his mouth, swallowing them all at once.

'That should knock me out for half the day.'

Sasuke replaced the lid on the bottle and threw his drugs back into the mess of personal items. He was about to close the drawer when two small pieces of paper caught his eye. He scoffed and pulled both of the papers out, holding them out towards the small ray of moonlight on his comforter.

One of the papers was from Hinata the day before her wedding. The small, cramped writing was smudged, but Sasuke still managed to make out what it said:

_"No matter what, I'll always be your girl."_

Sasuke shook his head and couldn't help but grin. "Whatever, Hinata."

He stared down at the other piece of paper that only he knew and Tsunade knew about. It was a medical evaluation that Hinata had had a few weeks ago. Sasuke knew he should've shown her the paper, but…well, he didn't.

_May 14_

_Medical Examination for: Hyuuga Hinata_

_**Symptoms**: Loss of appetite, vomiting, mood swings, missed period._

_**Pap Smear: **Normal_

_**Chlamydia/Gonorrhea: **Negative_

_**Pregnancy: **Positive_

Sasuke sighed and clenched the paper tightly. He knew he had to tell Hinata about this someday, but how could he do that now? Not only was he extremely nervous about sharing the news with her, but she was married, too. Man, was he ever in a predicament.

'Guess…I could pretend it never happened and Hinata can go on thinking that the baby belongs to Naruto.'

Sasuke brought his knees up to his stomach and resisted the urge to start crying again. When Tsunade had given him the paper and said "Congratulations", he was so happy that he was going to become a father and start a family. But the night that he was supposed to tell Hinata about the big news, she had announced her engagement to Naruto, and his heart was crushed.

'Oh well,' Sasuke thought, throwing the two pieces of paper back in the drawer and shutting it. 'It's not that big of a deal.'


	5. Chapter 5

**Down the Aisle**

A small groan escaped Hinata's lips as her eyes flickered open. Naruto had ended up carrying her back to his bed after her vomiting attacks, which had made her extremely grateful since her back had been aching from leaning over the toilet for so long.

'Wait…'

Hinata's eyes opened widely and she lifted the bed covers. She sighed and plopped back down. Thank god she was still fully dressed; it meant that Naruto had complied with her wishes and hadn't raped her when she was asleep.

Hinata stretched her arms over her head and yawned widely before swinging her feet over the mattress and reluctantly climbing out of bed. She would've loved to spend all day just sleeping, forgetting about all her troubles, but she knew she couldn't do that; she didn't want to give Naruto the impression that she didn't want to hang around with him (which was actually the truth, but the marriage was already going downhill already so it was best to lie when necessary).

Hinata slumped her way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where her husband was eating (what else) a steaming hot bowl of ramen at a small, wooden table. She cleared her throat and Naruto looked up from his breakfast.

"Mornin'," he said with a warm smile.

Hinata noticed the dark pools under his aquamarine eyes. "Naruto, you look tired. Were you up all night?"

Naruto shrugged and messily slurped up a noodle. "I just had a lot on my mind." He gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit down."

Hinata slowly sank into the chair and rested her elbows on the tabletop. "What were you thinking about?"

Naruto didn't answer but instead lifted his bowl of soup and slurped away at the broth. Hinata winced at the brown specks of liquid that had splattered on the tabletop; slobs were nauseating. After a moment, Naruto sighed contentedly and set down his bowl.

"Hinata…" Naruto seemed hesitant, but continued. "How long has this…_puking_ been going on?"

Hinata crossed her arms and blew air out of the side of her mouth. "About…two weeks or so."

Naruto scratched his chin. "That seems a little long for a flu or something…do you know the cause of your stomach troubles?"

Hinata bit her lower lip. Well, she had had some ideas about the vomiting. She thought that it was just a bug…but it had been a while since her last period so…

"I-I think it's just a tummy ache," Hinata lied. "I mean, weddings can make a girl nervous."

Naruto raised his eyebrow. "That's not what I'm thinking."

Hinata mentally swore. "What do you think is the cause?"

Naruto stood up and slammed his hands on the table, causing the empty porcelain bowl to crash onto the tiled kitchen floor. Hinata leaned back from her husband, frightened at his sudden angry outburst. God, it looked as though he was about to hit her. What a charming fellow.

"Hinata," Naruto seethed, leaning so close to her that she could smell the beef broth on his breath. "Don't think that I don't know about what was going on with you and Sasuke. Practically the whole fucking village knows."

Hinata felt her face burn. His apparent animosity in the way he had said Sasuke's name really pissed her off.

"Well," she mumbled in a shaky voice. "I suppose that's a good thing, right? If you already knew, you didn't have to treat me like a virgin on our wedding night."

Naruto squinted. "I _tried _to make that night as awesome as it should've been, but someone was still obsessing over some asshole-"

Hinata had had enough. She stood up and glared at Naruto.

"Don't you ever, and I mean _ever_," Hinata said in a wavering voice. "Call him that _again_."

Naruto returned her glare. "Hinata," he said quietly. "You have to forget about him."

Hinata stared down at the wooden table top, not wanting to admit that he was right. "If you…if you think I'm pregnant, you're wrong." She sighed and continued. "I already took a pregnancy test. Sasuke never showed me what the results were, so that probably means that there was nothing to worry about."

Naruto shook his head and slowly sat back down, his arms crossed tightly. "I don't trust that bast-, I mean, I don't trust _him_. I want you to go to the drugstore and buy a pregnancy test."

"But why-"

"Just to be sure."

Hinata rubbed her temples and tried her best to suppress her annoyance. Naruto was an idiot. There was no way she could be pregnant.

"Alright," she finally said. "I'll go get a goddamn pregnancy test."

Hinata ignored her grumbling stomach and stomped out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. She threw open one of the cardboard boxes and pulled out a white cotton t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She slipped off her bathrobe and pulled on the change of clothes rather roughly and angrily. Hey, she didn't care that the shirt and the pants didn't do anything; she was pissed and annoyed.

Hinata clambered back into the kitchen, pulling on her sandals on the wrong feet. "Okay," she said to Naruto with a sarcastic smile. "I'll be off now to waste some money on a completely _pointless_ piece of plastic."

Naruto pointed at her feet. "You're not going to be able to walk with your sandals like that."

Hinata glanced down. "I don't care."

She sped past Naruto, grabbed her wallet off the kitchen counter, and stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She sighed and pulled at her hair.

"God, how could I have ever had a crush on this-this _jerk_?"

Hinata buried her face in her hands and groaned before slumping out of the apartment building and into the warm late morning sunshine that was spreading over Konoha. She breathed in the fresh, crisp air and smiled. Though she was going out to get something utterly useless, it was still nice to be out of that stuffy apartment, especially after a few hours of stomach problems.

With a more cheerful outlook, Hinata walked slowly to the drugstore, enjoying the weather and the solitude. Come to think of it, she had never had much time to herself since she started dating Sasuke. Sasuke would tag along with her almost everywhere, her father was badgering her about clan issues that she could've cared less about, and now with Naruto…well, he seemed rather needy and whiny. Any girl would want some alone time if she had men like that practically stalking her.

Hinata was almost sad when she had made it to the drugstore, but nonetheless she entered the small building, once again wishing she could've stayed outside longer.

'Might as well just hurry and get the heck outta here.'

Hinata hurried to the back of the store where all the "personal" items were (she knew where these were since she had to get a few of these items for Sasuke and herself). She looked to the sides to make sure no one was watching before scanning the shelves for the desired item. After only a moment, she found what she was looking for and stood on her tippy-toes, reaching for a small box two shelves over her head. She pulled the box down and stared at it embarrassedly:

"_Know it All" Pregnancy Test_

_Over 99Percent Accurate!_

_Includes a bonus test!_

Hinata gulped and prayed no one was watching her before spinning around and smacking into a tall, hard object. She fell to the ground with a small yelp and the box flew out of her hands and onto the floor.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Hinata gasped. "I-I just…"

She stopped when she saw who she had bumped into. Sasuke was standing over her, his mouth wide open and a light shade of pink on his cheeks. Hinata's eyes widened and she scrambled off the floor.

"S-Sasuke," she breathed, starting to blush as well. "How-how are you?"

Sasuke forced a smile. "I'm…decent. How about you?"

Hinata laughed quietly. "I'm fine…I suppose. Um…"

Before she could bend down to pick up the pregnancy test, Sasuke swooped down and grabbed the box. He looked down at it and frowned.

"Why are you buying this?"

"Uh…Naruto just, you know, wanted to make sure everything is…alright."

Sasuke squinted down at the box in his hands. "Oh…okay."

Hinata scratched her head. "Sasuke, you seem mad at the pregnancy test. It's an inanimate object, it won't do anything."

Sasuke laughed lightly and handed the box back to Hinata. "That's-that's true…I guess…"

An awkward silence hung over the two, each wanting to tell each other what was exactly on their minds at that moment: how he was actually the father of her baby and how much she missed him. Their mouths remained shut.

Hinata cleared her throat and turned away from Sasuke. "I better go pay for this."

Sasuke shook himself out of his stupor. "Oh…oh! Yeah. You have…fun with that."

Hinata grinned. "Thanks."

She waved at him before walking away. Sasuke shook his head, his heart pounding.

'Goddamn…if she and Naruto have already done the deed, then they'll think that he's the father.'

Sasuke stared after Hinata and felt as though he was about to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

**Down the Aisle**

Hinata slipped out of the store before she would meet up with Sasuke again and tucked the small box underneath her arm tightly to avoid dropping it once more. She sighed deeply, both angry and sad at the same time. Of all the people she had to drop a pregnancy test in front of, it had to be _him_.

'Sasuke, you're such an idiot!' Hinata thought savagely, kicking a rock down the sidewalk and hitting a small child in the forehead. 'Are you stalking me or something? I'm trying to forget about you, damn it all!'

She looked to her right and saw the small open-air market down one of the wide alleys. Vendors were selling everything from flowers and produce to expensive jewelry and shiny new shuriken and kunai. Hinata stopped and readjusted the box under her arm, remembering all the times that Sasuke would spend his entire salary on bunches of flowers and golden bracelets just for her.

'Guess it wouldn't hurt to get some _real_ food,' Hinata thought, turning the corner and approaching the first table of the market. 'I don't want to spend the rest of my life eating instant ramen in a Styrofoam cup.'

She began walking between the tables and stands, ignoring the calls and shouts from the vendors on either of her sides. When she stopped at a large table laden with fresh carrots and lettuce, she felt a small tap on her shoulder. Hinata gritted her teeth together; today, it felt as thought she would blow up at anything or anyone.

She spun around with her mouth clamped tightly and faced the person who was trying to get her attention: Sakura. Hinata felt her anger rise another level. If there was one person she hated more than anyone else in the village, it had to be Haruno Sakura. She was a model kunoichi, an intelligent young woman, and not to mention…

'A totally hoochie,' Hinata thought spitefully.

When Sasuke and Hinata were going out, Sasuke often received love calls and emails from Sakura full of gushy, dirty words and pictures of her in the nude. Of course, he never got bothered or flustered by these phone calls and emails and ignored each and every one of them, but Hinata couldn't help but get pissed off that someone was trying to tread on _her_ territory.

Sakura smiled sweetly. "Hello, Hinata," she said in a syrupy-sweet voice. "Lovely day, no?"

Hinata forced a smile. "Can I help you, Sakura-san?" She asked between gritted teeth.

Sakura flipped her hair back nonchalantly. "Well…you're married to Naruto now, right?"

Hinata immediately dropped the smile and frowned. "What are you getting at?"

The pink-haired girl giggled and Hinata wanted to punch her in her big, ugly forehead even more. "So that means that you and Sasuke-kun have called it quits?"

Hinata clenched her fists together tightly. "Don't tell me: you want to get in his pants, huh?"

Sakura let out a huge, fake gasp, perhaps a little too fake for Hinata's liking. "Hinata, really! Do you think that I am that much of a hussy? I mean…" She laughed lightly. "I have managed to sleep with Lee, Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, and even your cousin, but that doesn't make me a total whore."

"Yes it does," Hinata grumbled, trying not to imagine Neji and this pink-haired slut in bed together.

Sakura continued as though the other girl hadn't said anything. "I've had my eye on Sasuke-kun for almost my entire life. Don't you think it's only fair that I get a chance to be intimate with him?"

Hinata glared at Sakura with nothing less than utmost contempt before sighing and turning away from her. "Well, since I am married and Sasuke and I are technically not together anymore…" She hesitated before finishing. "I suppose it won't hurt for Sasuke to start another relationship with someone else."

Sakura beamed. "Good, then-"

Hinata spun back around and once again gave the girl a menacing look, causing her to back off slightly. "But let me tell you one thing, Sakura," she seethed. "If you hurt that boy in any shape or form, I will have no trouble killing you."

Sakura stared at her with her mouth hanging open before grunting and walking away. "Don't worry, Hinata. I will take good care of him."

"The hell you will," Hinata mumbled to Sakura's back before turning in the opposite direction and also heading away from the market. Her original purpose of buying some fresh food was completely forgotten and new thoughts flooded her head.

'Though I hate the thought of another girl even coming within a few inches of Sasuke, it's probably better if he did get a new girlfriend. He'd be a lot happier without thinking about me and Naruto. But still…' She dug her fingernails so deep into her own fingers that small, ruby streams of flaming blood began coursing their way down her pale skin. "I can't stand the thought of Sasuke getting hurt again.'


	7. Chapter 7

**Down the Aisle**

The dark-haired girl slammed the door to the cramped apartment shut and sunk to the floor. Seeing Sauske at the convenience store and having a conversation with the apparently sexually active Sakura made Hinata want to hurl all over again. Talk about living in paradise.

Hinata reached under her arm and fished out the pregnancy test. She couldn't even believe that she had actually _bought_ one of these things. Pregnancy tests and cat fights only occurred on the cheesy television shows she used to watch as a teenager; they didn't appear in real life situations.

Hinata frowned. "I'm living in a soap opera," she muttered.

The girl closed her eyes, remembering her teenage years when she'd come home and anxiously turn on the television to catch her favorite show, "Heartbreak Inc.". Now that Hinata thought about it, the plot was extremely stupid and cliché; three big city girls had started a dating company in which they'd lead men on and soon after dump them like a snotty tissue. But the main character, Momo, fell deeply in love with one of the clients and was torn between her jealous girlfriends and the man she loved. At the time, though, the younger Hinata was enchanted with the show and daydreamed about meeting the perfect man (which she thought, at the time, had been Naruto).

Hinata opened her eyes slowly. "The shy, quiet Hinata who loved soap operas sure is different from the one sitting on the floor of a crummy apartment."

She looked down at the pregnancy test in disgust. Why did she let herself get into a situation like this? What had her previous boyfriend done to her that had changed her so dramatically? Sasuke had told her to speak her mind…yet she didn't feel like she was being herself at all. It was as if she were hiding herself behind a mask of sex and spite.

Hinata gripped the box in her hands tightly and threw it across the room. "I-I don't know what to do anymore," she choked, bringing her knees up to her chest as if to shield herself from all her problems. "I feel so alone…"

XXXXX

Sasuke looked out his bedroom window at the pewter clouds gathering in the sky. His emotions had never been so mixed up and indefinite. What was _he_ supposed to do? He knew that he had to be a man and take care of his child, but that would result in hard feelings from Naruto and the Hyuuga clan.

Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned against the window sill. Now he really wished that he had been more respectful towards Hinata's father. He always brought back his daughter late from their dates, the conversations between the two men were forced and uncomfortable, and Sasuke just overall had the feeling that Hinata's dad despised him.

'Damn, I didn't know guys got so pissed when you sleep with their daughter.'

The boy sighed and slowly slipped off his shirt. Now that he thought about it, he really didn't have a very good role model when it came to treating women well. The painful memory of his father hitting his mother and yelling at her flashed across his mind, making his heart pang in discomfort. His dad never taught him what to do when you were in a relationship with a girl. He never told his son how to respect and treat the woman you loved.

Sasuke gently rubbed his collarbone, on which the small pink love mark Hinata gave him still remained. "Maybe I didn't treat her all too well," he murmured. "I did get a little forceful with her."

A loud, rabid series of knocks from the front door downstairs echoed throughout the empty house. Sasuke hesitated for a moment before dragging his feet out of his bedroom and down the stairs. Though he really wasn't in the mood to see someone, it probably would've been healthy if he had some interaction with other human beings.

Sasuke yanked open the front door. "Yes?" He asked exasperatedly.

He looked up and wished that he hadn't opened the door. Okay, so he had to admit that interaction with other people would probably do some good, but seeing Haruno Sakura dressed in an impossibly tiny red dress eyeing his half-naked body made his stomach clench.

Sakura gave him a small smile of self-satisfaction and twisted a strand of her bubble gum pink hair around her finger. "Looks like I caught you at just the right time, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked at her with the most disgusted look he could muster. "Well, aren't we being subtle?" He said sarcastically. "Coming to my house dressed like a prostitute? Let me guess; you want to fuck, huh?" He gripped the door handle. "Here's a free tip for ya, Sakura: you should care more about your dignity and reputation than about your lame-ass pussy."

Sakura looked slightly abashed at his remark, but kept her cool. "Now, Sasuke-kun, that's no way to treat your former teammate." She took a step closer and slithered her hand up to his muscular chest, causing the boy to shiver and lean away from her.

"Goddamn, Sakura-"

The girl leaned forward and whispered seductively into his ear. "Nice hickey."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he pushed her away forcefully, though he felt his body shaking fiercely. "S-Sakura, just tell me what you want and get the hell out of here."

Sakura giggled and leaned forward so far that Sasuke could see down her lacy black bra, though he tried his best not too look. "Isn't it obvious?" She lowered her voice. "I want you."

Sasuke stared at her incredulously before clearing his throat and glaring at her. "No way in hell. I still love another girl."

He turned around and was about to shut the door on Sakura before she spoke up again.

"Hinata said that she wouldn't mind if we started dating."

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and spun back around. "Hi-Hinata said that?"

Sakura let out a fake sighed and shrugged. "Well, she is married. You can't blame her for dumping you like a pile of snotty tissues." She quickly added, "But _I _for one would treat you way better."

The raven-haired boy continued to stare at her open-mouthed. He couldn't believe that Hinata would do away with him in such a manner, but Sakura did have a point: she was taken.

Sasuke ran his hand through his hair and sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine. I'll…I'll be your-your boyfriend."

Sakura grinned triumphantly. "I knew you couldn't resist me, Sasuke-kun." She wagged his finger at him confidently. "Don't worry; I'll make you forget all about that Hyuuga girl."

**A/N: I _DESPISE_ SasuSaku. It almost made me puke to right that little scene between them. Though I admit I enjoyed taking off Sasuke's shirt (Me? A Sasuke fangirl? That's preposterous!). **

**Oh, and sorry for the x's separating the parts of the chapter. FF.N wouldn't let me put a divider line...(pouts)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Down the Aisle**

In her nineteen years on Earth, Haruno Sakura had learned a few things. Don't stay up till three in the morning the night before a mission, never cut your own hair or try to give yourself a lip piercing, and…

If you love a man, don't give up until you have him. That's a lesson her dear mother had taught her many years before. You only have one life to live, and you should make the man you have your eye on fall in love with you.

At the time her mother told her this, Sakura didn't give it much thought. She thought it was a nice idea, but she had the impression that Sasuke would return her feelings soon enough.

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way. Sure, they trained together as genin, went on a few missions as chuunin, and had a few beers once in a while after they completed strenuous assignments, but he never loved her back. She had only recently found out that he was in a relationship, and a pretty intimate one at that.

As Sakura was brushing out her hair while sitting on her bed (the meeting she had had with Sasuke was only a few hours ago), she recalled the night that she found out about Sasuke and Hinata. Sakura had suggested "going out for some booze" after a hard day of training, and Sasuke had reluctantly agreed. After a few drinks, she managed to get Sasuke to talk…

_"So, Sasuke-kun," _she had said coyly. _"Have you…been with any girls lately?"_

_Sasuke took a deep sip from his cup before answering. "Of course I have. I'm in a relationship with a girl right now."_

_Sakura was rather surprised by his answer. She definitely would've heard about Sasuke having a girlfriend. Maybe he didn't want to say who it was? Was she really that embarrassing of a girlfriend? _

_Sakura managed to hide her shock. "Really?" She asked lightly. "Who is it?"_

_Sasuke lowered his cup of sake from his lips and stared at her, brow slightly raised. "Don't pull that shit. I know if I tell you who the girl is, you'd give her hell."_

_Sakura pretended to look hurt. "Oh, come on, I'm not that mean." She puffed out her lower lip. "Please tell me."_

_Sasuke continued to stare at her, but Sakura wasn't intimidated; his eyes were starting to glaze over, and he was quickly getting drunk. He muttered something that Sakura couldn't hear._

_Sakura cocked her head. "What was that, Sasuke-kun?"_

_Sasuke breathed in deeply and set the sake down. "Hinata."_

_Sakura remained speechless for a moment. Did she just hear him correctly? Hinata? Hyuuga Hinata? The quiet, prude girl? Why on earth would this gorgeous man be in a relationship with a girl like Hinata?_

_Sakura slowly nodded and gave him a fake smile, maybe too fake. "Oh-oh, really? Are-are you two doing well? I mean, are you two getting along as a couple?"_

_Sasuke nodded. He seemed to be a little more enthusiastic talking to her now. "Extremely well. She's the most amazing girl I've ever met. In fact…" He smiled, and Sakura noticed that it was one of the first times she had ever seen him smile so…warmly. "I've been thinking about proposing to her."_

_Sakura's eyes widened, and her heart began to sink. 'Fuck NO!' Her mind screamed. 'That bitch is NOT marrying the boy I've been chasing my entire life.' _

_Instead of yelling that out loud, she calmly cleared her throat and asked "You mean, you want to ask her to marry you?"_

_Sasuke nodded several times. "I've been thinking about popping the question a lot lately. I've been considering it so much it's hard for me to sleep at night. I just…want to know if she'd take me as her husband."_

_Sakura raised her chin and crossed her arms. "Sasuke-kun, let's be realistic here. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with a girl you've kissed a few times and said some nice things to?"_

_The black-haired man snorted. "Kissed a few times? Sakura, we've DONE IT a few dozen times." _

_Sakura's mouth dropped along with her attitude. "Done-done IT?"_

_Sasuke sighed and looked down at his watch. "Maybe I said a bit too much. Anyways…" He got up and looked down at his teammate. "Thanks for the sake." _

_And he left, leaving behind a stunned, heart-broken, and angry Sakura._

Sakura sat still while she relived the memory. That was probably the worst night of her life; she drunk herself stupid and ended up having to get her stomach pumped by Tsunade, which made her hate for Hinata even stronger.

The pink-haired girl shook her head. "It's alright now," she said to herself quietly. "Hinata doesn't matter anymore. She's out of the picture."

_But what if you don't get Sasuke where you want him, _asked a small voice in her head.

Sakura smiled. "No problem."

She got off the bed and knelt down next to her nightstand. She pulled the small drawer open and stuck her hand inside. Her fingers rubbed over a smooth, cool surface and she quickly took the item out of the drawer. It was a small, glass bottle with a black piece of paper wrapped around the outside. Inside the bottle were only three pills.

Sakura held the bottle with both hands, stood up, and plopped back down on her bed. She had discovered these pills while assisting Tsunade in her medical practices. They were extremely powerful sedatives, able to knock a person unconscious for several hours. Because of their strength, they had become banned in the Fire Country only a few years ago, but Sakura managed to sneak the last bottle away from Tsuande before she could dispose of them.

Sakura turned the bottle in her hands and grinned. "I knew these would come in handy someday." She lay back on her mattress and closed her eyes. "If I can't make love to a conscious Sasuke, I'll just have to do it with an unconscious one."


	9. Chapter 9

**Down the Aisle**

Two nights later, Sasuke was already regretting his decision to become Sakura's boyfriend. Yes, he wanted more than anything to shed away the feelings for Hinata and to stop feeling the agonizing pain and longing for her, but he knew that Sakura wasn't the one that would bring him happiness. Although he didn't admit it, Sasuke knew deep down that there was only one woman his heart was set on.

Sasuke glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand: 8:30. He was already thirty minutes late for his date with his ex-teammate, but he didn't care; he relished the thought of making the bitch wait. Sakura had invited him over to her apartment for dinner that night, and he was more than wary. While she was a pink-haired moron, she was also woman; women always had tricks up their sleeves.

Sasuke sighed as though he were about to be led up to the guillotine and stood up from his bed. "Let's just get this shit over with."

* * *

Twenty minutes later and nearly an hour late for his date, Sasuke was staring Sakura's front door.

'God, why did I agree to this?' He thought forlornly, slowly lifting his fist and knocking on the door softly, half-hoping that no one would answer it.

The door immediately swung open, revealing the pink-haired woman in a tight strapless black dress that left absolutely nothing to the imagination and red stilettos that were normally found on strippers. Any other man but Sasuke would've have been begging on their knees to bed her, but the Uchiha found it simply disgusting.

'Oh, you _are_ a confident little whore, aren't you?' Sasuke thought snidely as Sakura smiled seductively and leaned against the door frame.

"It's pretty rude to be late, ya know?" Sakura said. "You'll have to make up for that-"

"Just let me in, it's freezing, dammit!" Sasuke said impatiently, pushing her aside and stepping into the dark apartment.

Sakura huffed indignantly before shutting the front door behind her. "Dinner's ready."

Sasuke nodded, following her into the small, candle-lit kitchen. He grimaced, sitting down on one of the cheap plastic chairs at the wooden table, Sakura sitting herself down opposite him. He looked down at the plate in front of him and was ashamed at himself for thinking the curry chicken and noodles looked quite appetizing. Sasuke's mouth watered as he picked up the pair of chopsticks next to plate and began to dig in. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura nod approvingly and start to eat from her plate.

'Damn, this is actually good,' Sasuke though, swallowing some chicken. 'It's nice and spicy and-'

He frowned and dropped his chopsticks, glaring at the girl across from him. "You bitch! You're trying to get me horny!"

Sakura tilted her head innocently. "Sasuke-kun, I don't know what-"

"Everyone knows spicy foods are aphrodisiacs!" He said, standing up from the chair and preparing to leave, furious with the woman.

Sakura giggled. "Oh come on now, I'm not going to try to sleep with you on our first date. Now please, sit back down and finish your meal. It took me quite a while to cook this for you."

Sasuke, feeling slightly guilty at his outburst, slowly sat back down. "Sorry," he mumbled, shoveling some noodles into his mouth.

"Quite alright," Sakura said simply. "But if we're going to be a couple, try being a little nicer to me from now on."

The man's eyes narrowed but he continued to eat in silence. He knew that Sakura had been after him since they were kids, and now that she had her chance, there was no doubt that she wasn't at least going to try to get intimate with him. Sasuke wouldn't let her, though; maybe with another woman, but definitely not Haruno Sakura.

After eating quietly for another couple minutes, Sasuke set his chopsticks down and leaned back. "Thanks. It was actually pretty good."

Sakura smiled serenely and leaned forward. "I'm glad you like it. I want to please you as much as I can."

Sasuke's eyes moved from her face to her chest that she was desperately trying to draw attention to and felt his loins stir. Her breasts were nearly ripping out of the top of her dress and if he moved his head just right could see the lacy red and black bra she was wearing.

'Damn, she's got some nice tits,' he thought. 'But that might just be the curry doing its job.'

Sakura followed his gaze and laughed quietly. "You shouldn't stare, Sasuke-kun" she whispered, winking. She got up from her seat and sauntered to the kitchen cabinets. "How about some wine?"

Sasuke shook his head, trying to rid his head of the image of Sakura's heaving chest. "Sure, yeah, whatever," he muttered.

With her back turned to him, Sakura pulled out a bottle of deep red wine and two glasses. Sasuke's brows furrowed as she hunched over one of the glasses before pouring wine into both of them. She turned back to him and handed one of the glasses to him, grinning.

"It's really good, you'll love it," she said. She rested the glass she was holding on the table. "I'm going to the bathroom for a minute, okay? Drink up!"

Sasuke waited until she had left the room to raise the wine to his nose and inhale deeply. Yup, it was definitely drugged. He held up the glass to the dim candle light and saw powder-like particles sinking to the bottom of the glass. He couldn't help but grin and shake his head as he got up and dumped the drink down the sink drain.

'Jesus, she must really be an idiot if she thinks she can-'

Behind him, Sakura cleared her throat loudly and he spun around. The nerve of the whore! She was standing on the tiled floor wearing nothing but a lacy red nightie that ended about a foot above her knees and a very seductive look on her face. She looked good, damn it, too good.

Sakura took a step towards Sasuke and curled her long pink hair around her index finger. "Enjoy the wine?"

Sasuke leaned against the counter for support, at a total loss for words. "You're…you're horrible," he whispered, silently thanking God he didn't consume the drugged wine.

The woman laughed and tucked her finger under his chin. "I just want you to be my man."

Before he could say another word, she had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her lips on top of his'. Sasuke's eyes widened and he tried to push her away, but to no avail; Sakura was clinging on tightly, and his body was betraying his heart and mind. The feel of woman in his arms was too enticing, too warm, after such a long time…

Sakura pulled her lips away and ran her hands down his chest. "I'll make you forget all about that Hinata bitch," she whispered in his ear.

At that exact moment, when Sakura began kissing him again and undressing him, something inside Sasuke snapped. Hinata…Hinata was the only one he wanted to be doing this with. Hinata was the only one he would ever love. How stupid he was for thinking that she could be replaced! It didn't matter that she was married and with another man, Sasuke loved her! And she was pregnant with his child!

Sasuke's eyes turned to slits and he forcefully pushed Sakura away, breathing heavily and pulled his shirt back on. "Fuck you," he breathed harshly. "Fuck you, you nasty piece of shit!"

Sakura looked taken aback as she pulled the straps of her nightie back on her shoulders. "What-what's wrong?" She whimpered. "We were about to-"

The man shoved her aside as he headed quickly to the front door. "Not you," he said, his voice cracking. "Not you, dammit all! It can only be her!"

Sasuke opened the door of the apartment and ran out without a second glance, knowing exactly where he had to go and what he had to do.


	10. Chapter 10

**Down the Aisle**

Sasuke ran down the dark, deserted streets of Konoha, wind whipping back his sweaty hair and his heart banging on his ribs. Sakura had been good for only one purpose: to show him that no matter what, Hinata could not be replaced. There were too many obstacles to count that stood in his way, but somehow Sasuke was confident that in the end, he would be reunited with the only girl he would ever love.

The man's legs carried him swiftly to the place he needed to be: Naruto's apartment. Sasuke gritted his teeth together as he leaned against the apartment's door. What if Naruto was there? Well, the answer was obvious: Sasuke would just have to shred him to pieces. And if it was just Hinata there on her own, he'd have to resist the urge to carry her away with him. Right now, all that mattered was that she got the truth.

Sasuke sucked in a deep breath of air and knocked loudly on the door, his heart thumping hard and his fist ready at his side in case it became necessary to punch someone out. After a minute, when there was no response from the other side and the man started to become desperate, there was the soft sound of shuffling feet and the door opened slowly. Hinata stood in the doorway, her violet hair pulled into a high ponytail, her eyes red and puffy, and a light blue bathrobe hanging from her shoulders. Seeing her, even in this disheveled state, made Sasuke want to cry.

Hinata blinked a few times and sniffled before getting a better look at her visitor. Her eyes widened and her face paled when her eyes met with Sasuke's

"Oh…oh my god," she whimpered, her legs starting to quake. She leaned against the door for support, but kept her eyes on the man in front of her.

Sasuke let out the breath he had been holding in. "Hinata," he said quietly, the name tasting sweet on his lips.

A shiver coursed through the girl's body when he said her name. "S-Sasuke, it's late," she whispered, pulling her bathrobe tightly. "I…you…what's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you," the man responded with urgency.

Hinata opened her mouth to refuse but glanced behind her shoulder into the small apartment before turning back to him. "Naruto's not here right now," she said almost guiltily. "Can't it wait-"

"No, it can't."

The woman hesitated before stepping aside. "Come in, then."

As Sasuke brushed against her shoulder and entered the apartment, he was tempted to grab Hinata's arm and demand to know where the bedroom was. Instead, he took a deep, wavering breath as she closed the door slowly and faced him. The two stared at one another silently until Hinata sighed and walked past him into the dark living room area. She plopped down on the couch and rubbed her temples, keeping her eyes on the off-white carpet. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, perturbed at how unenthusiastic she seemed at his intrusion, and intentionally sat himself close to Hinata on the couch. Silence, then…

Hinata stood up. "How about I make some coffee-"

Sasuke grabbed her hand. "No, Hinata. Sit."

She slowly and obediently sat back down, readjusting her bath robe. She turned to him. "Sasuke, why are you here?" She asked quietly.

Sasuke bit down on his lower lip, the metallic taste of blood trickling onto his tongue. "We need to talk."

Hinata blinked several times in confusion. "About what? It must be important if you stop by our apartment at eleven at night."

_Our _apartment. Meaning Naruto's _and_ Hinata's apartment. Sasuke tried his best to ignore the comment. He needed to get straight to the issue. But first…

The man hesitated before asking. "Does he treat you right?"

Hinata looked taken aback by the answer. "You-you mean Naruto?" She leaned against the couch cushions, taking a few seconds to respond. "I mean, well…he's-he's nice to me."

"That's not what I meant," Sasuke said coldly. "I'm asking if you and he have a relationship like we used to have."

Hinata stared at him open-mouthed and shook her head. "I…just…why do you even care?" She blurted out, her face reddening.

"Just answer the damn question!"

Hinata slammed her fist on the arm of the couch and stood up, her face white and her lower lip trembling. "If you really want to know," she said, her voice shaking, "we haven't…we haven't even had sex, okay!" She whipped around, her back facing the shocked man. "There is absolutely no love in our relationship! I-I only married him because my father told me to! I'm miserable here! I wake up every morning puking and-"

"It's mine," Sasuke interrupted quietly.

Hinata paused and slowly turned back to him. "What?"

'It's time to do this,' Sasuke thought.

He sighed deeply and stood up. "Hinata, remember when you had that medical examination about a month and a half ago?" The woman nodded, and he continued. "I never showed you the results, did I?"

Hinata's face, if possible, whitened even more. "What are you saying?"

"You're pregnant," Sasuke said finally. "You're pregnant, Hinata, and I'm the father."

The silence that followed the statement was so thick it could've suffocated the two standing in the room. After a moment, Hinata's hand slowly reached over her heart and she slowly sat down.

"You…you gotta be kidding me," she choked. "No…it…no…"

"I'm not kidding, Hinata," Sasuke said firmly, glad that the weight was finally off his shoulders.

Hinata shook her head several times, tears spilling down onto the blue material of the bathrobe. "Sasuke…" She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye. "What do you expect me to say to that?"

The Uchiha felt his heart sink. ""Hi-Hinata-"

Hinata jumped back up, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Why didn't you tell me?" She said shrilly. "You-you son of a bitch, why didn't you tell me?!"

Sasuke felt his heart being chipped away at. "I-"

"If you had _told_ me, Sasuke, I could've told my father, and he would've made sure that I married you!" She gulped down some air. "But because of you lying to me, Sasuke, I'm stuck in a loveless marriage and it's all your fault!"

The man felt as though he had been slapped across the face. He took a step towards Hinata, holding out his hand, his heart, to her. "Hinata, please-"

"We're over, Uchiha Sasuke!" Hinata screamed, her tears falling onto the carpet. "And I'm-I'm getting rid of the baby!"

At that moment, Sasuke's heart shattered into a million pieces, and rage like he had never felt before consumed him. "Well, you know what, bitch?!" He shouted, tears of his own welling up in his eyes. "You know _fucking_ what? You ruined my life! _Fucking_ ruined it! And I hope you're _fucking_ proud of it!"

He turned on his heel and began to storm away from the woman he thought he loved, his pride and his heart aching from the blows Hinata had instilled on them.

"Fine!" Hinata screamed at his back, her bathrobe falling off her shoulders and her hair hanging loose around her tear-streamed face. "Fine! Walk out of my life! I've already lost you once, I don't think it'll hurt too bad to lose you again!"

Sasuke opened the door of the apartment and gave the woman one last look of loathing. "Fuck. You."

And he slammed the door shut behind him, unable to control the tears that poured down his cheeks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Down the Aisle**

Much to his surprise, Sasuke didn't hesitate for a second as he shredded photographs of him and Hinata, the cards and love notes she had sent him, and surprisingly, the item that had given him the most pleasure to rip into tiny pieces: the medical evaluation. At the moment, when Hinata had said that they were over and twisted the knife by courteously adding that she was terminating the pregnancy, the wounded Sasuke had decided it was time not only to eliminate _her _completely from her life…but Konoha as well. The village had brought nothing but heartache and suffering to him, and it was time to leave it behind.

Fuming, Sasuke threw the handfuls of the sweet memories he had made with Hinata into the garbage and set about packing. Where he was going, it didn't really matter, as long as he got away from the house in which his parents died and the woman who had fucked him over. He even grinned to himself at the thought of a new village and maybe even a new girlfriend while he threw shuriken and clothes into a large black duffel bag. A new home, where he could shed away his past and start a new, happy, Hinata-free life, was a welcoming idea.

After doing a last spot check and lock up of his childhood home, Sasuke, with nothing but a duffel bag full of weapons and clothing slung over his shoulder, locked up the front door and took one final look at his home. With all the lights out, a lonely, cold atmosphere surrounding it, and the horrifying past creeping inside, the man was all too happy to turn around and never look back.

Sasuke sighed deeply and looked up at the cloudy sky looming above him. 'I'll never see her again.'

But before any second thoughts or hesitation could set in, he shook his head, repeating "Fuck that bitch!" multiple times to himself, and set off toward the village's main gate.

* * *

After half an hour of walking and silent reminiscing, Sasuke was within a hundred meters to the gate out of Konoha. He stopped his eager gait and began dragging his feet, realizing now that in a few moments he would be leaving the home he had lived in for almost twenty years. He would be leaving his team, his house…his first love.

And it was at that split second of hesitation that a shadowy figure jumped from a nearby tree and slowly advanced on Sasuke. Sasuke, though shocked, swiftly pulled a kunai out of his holster and prepared to defend himself.

'Goddammit,' he thought, sweating slightly, the strap of the duffel bug cutting into his shoulder. 'Can't I just go in peace?'

In his frustration, Sasuke threw the poorly-aimed weapon at his pursuer, who gasped and cursed loudly as they dodged Sasuke's attack.

"Shit, Uchiha, what the hell are you doing?!"

The voice of Uzumaki Naruto should've stopped Sasuke from wanting to tear out his attacker's throat, yet it made his blood boil and intensified his desire to kill the man. But before he could pull out another kunai, Naruto stepped out of the shadows with his hands facing palm-out in front of his chest, showing that he didn't intend to attack. Sasuke let out the breath he was holding and, reminding himself that he didn't want murder charges pressed against him, relaxed and stood still as the blonde man walked towards him, stopping about ten feet away.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Where the hell are you going, Sasuke?"

"Why do you care?" Sasuke snarled.

Naruto's shoulders slumped and he stared at the ground. "Just-just hear me out, 'kay?"

The Uchiha groaned with annoyance; it was nearing sunrise, and he wanted to leave before the rest of the village woke up. "What?"

Naruto was silent for a moment before speaking. "Sasuke, I've always felt really jealous of you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What-"

The other man interrupted. "No, shut the fuck up, let me finish." He took a deep breath and continued. "Everyone always said that you were stronger than me. You always beat me when we sparred. You always got better grades than me at the academy. And dammit all, you could get any pussy you wanted! Any girl in the world would put out for you!"

The dark-hair man stood there silently, completely dumbfounded. Now really, this guy was a moron. Sasuke was here, in a total hurry to leave this shitty village, and Naruto comes by, giving him some half-baked speech about how he's some sex-god. Really, _total_ fucking moron.

"N-Naruto," Sasuke mumbled after managing to find his voice. "Dobe, I'm really-"

"Shut _up_!" Naruto yelled. "You need to just….just relax, and let me tell you…" A pause, then…"I was doing a lot of thinking-"

"Which is pretty damn unusual, "Sasuke muttered.

Naruto continued, though his face had turned pink. "And I mean, a shitload of thinking. About-about Hinata." At this, Sasuke's heartbeat sped up. "And-and I really care about her. I mean, god, she was amazing before we got married. Really sweet and gentle and hot and…just awesome." Another deep breath. "But after our honeymoon, which was a disaster, I realized how miserable she was…" Naruto grimaced. "How miserable she was without you."

Sasuke felt his lower jaw drop. What was he trying to say?

"Sasuke…" Naruto looked at him, tears in his bright blue eyes. "Sasuke, it looks like I couldn't win against you when it came to Hinata either."

"Na-Naruto-"

"Sasuke, if you leave, I'm not sure what Hinata will do!" The blonde man pleaded with urgency. "She's in love with you, dammit! She wants _you_, not me! And Hinata should be able to have whatever she wants!" Naruto clasped his hands together, begging. "Stay, dammit, stay!"

Sasuke was frozen to the spot with shock. Naruto was actually letting him have Hinata? Was that what he was saying? That him and the woman that meant more than anything to him could finally and forever be together without anything standing in their way?

Before he could open his mouth to respond, Hinata's words rang in his head: _"We're over, Uchiha Sasuke! And I'm getting rid of the baby!". _Even replaying the heartbreaking insult made Sasuke's heart pang and his anger flame up. Instead of turning around and heading back from the gate, he shook his head sadly and turned his back to Naruto.

'Thanks, Naruto. But no thanks."

Before he could say another word, Sasuke ran the last couple meters to the gate and hopped over to the other side.

* * *

Hinata wiped the last of the tears and continued to rock back and forth on the couch. She had never seen Sasuke look so sad since the day of her wedding, but she knew that she did the right thing by telling him what needed to be said: that there was no hope of them getting back together, and that there was no way she could keep the child. It just wasn't realistic.

She sniffled, rubbing her pregnant stomach lightly. 'And he said the most horrible things, too,' she thought, as if trying to make herself feel better about crushing his heart. '_I_ ruined _his_ life? How would he like it if he got knocked up and didn't know about it until almost a month and a half later?' (And though it was a highly inappropriate time, Hinata laughed quietly at the thought of a pregnant Sasuke).

Hinata sighed heavily and stared at the door. What was she going to do when Naruto got home? It wasn't like she could jump into his arms for comfort and warmth and love. There was absolutely none of that in their relationship. And besides…she had to announce to him about the little mistake growing in her uterus at that very moment.

_Mistake_…

And though ashamed, the tears filled Hinata's eyes once again. "I want to keep the baby," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I want…I want Sasuke."

The door to the apartment creaked open and Hinata looked up at the sight of her husband, quickly wiping away her tears. She attempted a smile and rose from the couch.

"Welcome home, Na-"

Naruto sped to Hinata and planted a quick kiss on her cheek; she noticed he was slightly out of breath "No time to talk, Hinata. You need to leave as quickly as you can."

Hinata stepped away from him, surprised. "Naruto, what-"

"Sasuke left the village, Hinata!" Naruto said quickly, pulling off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders. "And only you can bring him back!"

The woman gasped. "But-but…oh my god!" She started to hurry past Naruto but stopped and turned back around, facing her husband who was smiling sadly. "Oh-oh Naruto, no, he's-he's gone, and we-"

"You never loved me, Hinata," Naruto whispered, his eyes shining in the dark room.

Hinata lingered for a moment before nodding and turning away from him resolutely. "Thank you, Naruto."

And with that, she opened the door and ran out of the apartment, ready to do whatever it took to bring her love back to Konoha.

* * *

The morning broke gray, cloudy, and drizzling: quite appropriate for the way Sasuke was feeling. The man had been walking for hours without a single village even in sight on the horizon. He was now dragging his feet in the mud, feeling more depressed than he had been in months. He was an outsider now: no friends, no family, no home, and utterly alone.

He lifted his head and looked at the sky, raindrops splashing lightly on his face. This was the right thing to do. Now with that bitch (he wasn't going to say her name, just to be safe and not get all pussy-like and go back to Konoha) out of the picture, the only person he had to care about was himself. And the healthiest thing to do was start over.

'Maybe I can even change my name,' Sasuke mused. 'I was never a big fan of the name 'Sasuke' anyway.' He frowned. 'Fuck, that was probably the funniest thing I've ever came up with and there's no one around to hear it. Fuck!' He sighed. 'And dammit all, I miss Hinata. She would've laughed her ass off at that.'

Sasuke shook the rain off his face. "I'm so damn pathetic," he muttered.

It could've been a figment of his imagination, or possibly just wishful thinking, but he thought he heard the sweetest, most angelic voice behind him answer: "Y-y-yes, yes you are!" He spun around, and he swore his eyes popped out of his head when he caught sight of a beautiful, violet-haired, divine-faced woman running toward him, gasping for air.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and though he could've said something so much sweeter and deep, muttered the only thing that came to his mind: "Sweet fucking Jesus."

Hinata caught up to him and bent down, her hands cradling her stomach while she attempted to catch her breath. "Oh-oh thank god you didn't go too far!"

Sasuke restrained himself from taking the sweaty Hinata into his arms. He had a mission here, and he wasn't going to forget it. "Why are you here?" He said brusquely.

"N-N-Naruto talked to me," she gasped, standing up straight. "He…he talked some sense into me."

Sasuke stared for a minute, boring his eyes into hers. "He talked to me, too," he said quietly.

The woman laughed quietly. "He's a good man."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, he is. He…" His sentence trailed off and a frown replaced his smile. "Dammit, Hinata, why are you out here in the cold! You're pregnant, ferchirssake!"

He quickly grabbed her and rubbed his hands over her soaked arms, trying as best as he could to warm her up, mumbling about how stupid she was. Hinata giggled and rested her hand on top of his.

"It's obvious, isn't it? I came to get you. Why are _you_ out here in the cold? You have a pregnant girlfriend you need to take care of."

Sasuke stopped and looked into her milky white eyes, his heart pounding furiously. "What? What-what did you just say?"

Hinata smiled widely and stroked his cheek. "You need to come home, marry me, and raise this child with me." She snuggled her head into his chest. "I love you, Sasuke. _Only_ you."

Sasuke couldn't say a word, he was so choked up. The millions of pieces of his broken heart came back together as he wrapped his muscular arms around the woman's body and pulled her closer to him. He would never let go. Ever. The two fell into the mud, sobbing and kissing and telling each other "I love you" over and over.

Sasuke broke away from the passionate kiss they were sharing, breathing heavily. "Hi-Hinata, can I ask you something?"

Hinata groaned frustratingly and pulled his back to hers. "No, just shut up and kiss-"

"No, not until I ask."

She sighed and tapped her fingers impatiently in the mud. "Yes, Sasuke?"

Sasuke grinned. "Will you, ya know…marry me? And make me the happiest man and all that…shit?"

Hinata burst out laughing and snaked her arms around his neck. "That's-that's quite some marriage proposal."

The man looked down at her, worried. "Wait, is that a no?"

Hinata frowned. "I came running in the freezing rain with a baby growing inside me, and you think I did this for nothing? What do you think, you big lug, of course the answer is _yes_!"

Sasuke laughed, relieved. "Sweet."


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The sun was shining through the stained-glass windows, spilling its warmth onto the happy guests crowded into the church. The atmosphere was light and happy, the air filled with the scent of candles and fresh flowers. Sasuke was right where he wanted to be: waiting at the alter.

The slow wedding march began and he couldn't help but grin as Hinata began to walk down the aisle, looking even more beautiful now than at her first wedding. She smiled back at him and winked. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as they lowered to her flat stomach, and his heart panged slightly.

A month earlier, when the wedding preparations were complete and when Hinata had been a little more than five months with child, the couple had gone to see Tsunade for a regular check-up. Thinking that everything would be normal, the two held hands during the entire visit, smiling and becoming even more excited and nervous at the prospect of parenthood. But after running some of the regular tests, Tsunade, looking grave, left the room and came back fifteen minutes later, holding the test results tightly in her hands. Hinata, still smiling, had asked "So how's my baby girl doing?"; Tsunade didn't smile back.

Due to some complications that nearly put Hinata's life in danger, the pregnancy was terminated. And the baby, Sasuke's little girl, came out prematurely, dead. Through the tragedy, Hiashi and Sasuke had become close, and Hinata's father was more than happy to accept Sasuke as his son-in-law.

Hinata climbed up the steps to the alter and Sasuke took her hands in his. He had told her before that perhaps they should wait a few more months to get married, what with the strenuous operation Hinata had to endure, but she refused; she wanted to be married to him as soon as possible. And Sasuke was glad that she had been stubborn; this was the happiest moment of his life.

Up until now, Sasuke hadn't believed in a bigger power. But with the traumatic events of the past year or so, he now believed that destiny had brought him and the woman he loved together…and that one day, many years from now, he would see his baby girl again.

Hinata smiled widely. "I love you," she mouthed, as the priest began the vows.

Sasuke returned the smile and squeezed her hands. "And I love you," he mouthed back.

**END**

**A/N: Oh…my…FORKING…god! It is finally done, folks! And I must say, I'm very satisfied with the ending. The beginning was pretty good, the middle was…meh, but the ending…well, I really like it. **

**Thank you to everyone who stuck with me during the two years (oh sweet Jesus!) it took me to write this fic!**

**And finally, I declare **_**Down the Aisle **_**by the great, sexy, all-powerful Cleone officially…COMPLETE! **


End file.
